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THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



flying up and down the stream, taking very little notice of the few fishers and 

 passers-by. Quantities of trout are caught here, though almost all are very 

 small, few weighing more than a quarter-of-a-pound. We took a good speci- 

 men of V. maculaia, and a great number of Diptera. Most of the latter were 

 taken on the flowers of a Spurge, we believe to have been Euphorbia pilosa, 

 which was growing freely along the edge of the water. The following species 

 were among those taken : Hylemyia strigosa, Lucilia cornicina, Bryomyza 

 fiaveola, Scatophaga stercoraria, Melanostoma scalaris, Hilara maura, Bern 

 chalybeata, Platypterus pellatus, Bibio venosus and Lasiops apicalis 



May 22. — We walked about six miles down the coast, towards Ilfracombe. 

 It was rather a cold, stormy day, and though bright and sunny at times, but 

 few insects were to be seen.. We beat a few larvse, principally C, elinguaria 

 and L. didymata, from the honeysuckle and heather, which were growing on 

 the banks at the roadside. We did not know before this, that larvae of L, 

 didymata, would live on honeysuckle. As we were returning through the 

 " Valley of Bocks," we saw a Buzzard, a treat we had not had since our last 

 visit to Devonshire, six years ago. After sailing round our heads once or 

 twice, the bird disappeared into the cliffs, in which probably was its nest. 

 We saw the Bavens again on the " Castle Bock." 



May 23. — Leaving Lynton with regret, we drove another 17 miles or so, 

 up the coast to Minehead, where we spent three days before returning home, 

 A short distance beyond Lynmouth we again saw a Buzzard. As far as the 

 village of Parlock, the road lies over Exmoor, and is most of the way within 

 sight of the sea. The cliffs, which are very steep and rugged along this part 

 of the coast, are broken here and there by deep valleys, or " combs," as they 

 are called in Devonshire, running from the moor down to the sea. Beyond 

 Parlock, which is in Somersetshire, the country is of quite a different character 

 and though very pretty, the scenery is not to be compared with that nearer 

 Lynton. The road lies further inland, and instead of being over a heathy 

 moor, passes by cultivated fields, orchards and woods. The town of Mine- 

 head appears to have been built at three distinct periods. The old, or " Upper 

 Town " as it is called, seem to have been a fishing village, and is merely a 

 number of picturesque old white-washed cottages. Below this is the " Middle 

 Town," built at a more recent date, but consisting, like the other, of fisher- 

 men's houses. Whilst on the flat ground by the sea, lies the " Lower Town," 

 which has been built comparatively lately and being composed almost entirely 

 of modern lodging houses and hotels, is not at all picturesque or pretty. On 

 one side of the town is a flat expanse of mud, grown over with grass, where 

 are the Golf-links. These, however, are not very good and in consequence, 

 are but little used. The beach, which is very flat, is composed in part of 



